Mayor Nirenberg lauds historic FY 2018 budget

SAN ANTONIO (September. 14, 2017) — Mayor Ron Nirenberg on Thursday hailed an inclusive and robust city budget process, noting that City Council approved a budget that strengthens public safety, enhances street infrastructure and expands public transportation. It is the first time in the city’s history that the budget development was guided by equity considerations, which added additional dollars to areas that have seen historic underinvestment.

Mayor Nirenberg added that the budget makes progress toward ensuring that San Antonio becomes one of the safest big cities in the nation. The budget adds new police officers and new firefighter/EMS positions, putting another ladder truck and EMS unit on the streets.

The budget also begins the necessary process of addressing historic infrastructure inequities that have long plagued the city, bringing neglected neighborhoods up to par by dedicating additional resources to dilapidated, crumbling streets – while still maintaining funding levels for street maintenance across the city. Mayor Nirenberg said the budget is a first great step to increasing the size of infrastructure maintenance programs.

Highlights of the 2018 City of San Antonio Budget include:

Funds 42 new police officers and 43 new firefighter/EMS positions.

Funds $99 million in street maintenance, including unused funds from previous bonds issues to finance upgrades in historically neglected neighborhoods.